Harpring, not one prone to rash judgment, is exercising patience — at least until the regular season gets underway a month from now.

"We'll see what kind of team we are in November, right away," he said. "Once the season starts, the first 10 games of the year, we'll know what kind of team we've got."

Sloan, for his part, is anxious to find out.

"I don't know," he said when asked if the Jazz will be able to win more games than their query-prompting roster suggests. "I can't answer that until we start playing — until we start seeing who we are.

"I mean, there are a lot of question marks, obviously: How might guys be affected after having injuries? How are guys going to be affected coming into something they haven't been involved with — especially from the point guards. Keith (McLeod, just re-signed) is the only guy we have back who has any familiarity with what we're doing."

Eventually, answers will come.

In the meantime, the Jazz can only trust that a bitter season gone by will not repeat.

"You know," Harpring said, "it's not acceptable to have another year like we did last year."

"I just hope," Sloan added, "that this team does not get satisfied with losing."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com

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